Little Miss Sunshine
by Razorblade Lullaby
Summary: The Little Miss Sunshine movie from Frank's POV. It's a one-shot, and just something that I thought up yesterday morning because I couldn't sleep. It has Frank/Dwayne pairing, becuase it amused me. Enjoy it or don't, your perogitive.


Frank was kind of in a stupor until supper, and then sweet little Olive started asking questions about the cuts on his wrists. Things began to clear up then... and he could process things with a little bit of a clearer mind.

And then the shrieking started... Olive hadn't even finished listening to the message before she deafened them all, and probably the adjoining neighbors with her excited shriek, and before he had a backbone, he had agreed to go to California. Well, that's not entirely true... he _had_ to go... he was still on suicide watch. He would just have to wait this phase of his life out... then he could get back to living, if you could even call it that.

Frank was tired, he couldn't wait until tomorrow when they headed out... he didn't have anything to occupy his time, and he had to share a room with Dwayne, which was in all honestly, humiliating. Like some punk teen could get him prevent him from killing himself, or rather, trying to again. Thoughts like this danced in front of Frank as he prepared himself for bed, she stared at the shaving razor someone had left in the bathroom, probably Dwayne, seeing as it was his bathroom, mainly. Now Frank knew that all that was keeping him in this world was the inability to push just a little harder. Frank looked at himself in the mirror, which seemed to drain him of anything that was left. Frank sighed and went to face fate in the room parallel, Dwayne's room.

He walked in to find Dwayne reading on his bed, and went to sit down on his cot.

"Well, goodnight Dwayne"

Dwayne looked up at him, and reached for the little notepad by his nightstand and wrote a quick note with five scribbled words. 'Please don't kill yourself tonight' Frank regarded the note, and sighed. He couldn't do that to his nephew.

"Not on your watch, I wouldn't do that to you"

Dwayne gave the smallest of smiles, a smirk rather, and proceeded to write another note.

'Welcome to hell' which he presented to his uncle, and Frank noticed a small little sparkle in his eyes.

Frank sighed again, "Thank you Dwayne. Coming from you that means a lot" and proceeded to lie down on his cot, determining just how uncomfortable it was, although, something was amiss in his stomach. Frank wondered if he was going to be sick.

"Goodnight"

And the lights went out, leaving Frank to himself. Frank concentrated on his stomach... trying to make the feeling die inside him. After a while, Frank determined it to be the food he had consumed at supper being a shock to his system after the many days of hospital food. Frank turned on his side and tried to will himself to sleep. He lied there for hours trying to make his brain stop working.

Finally, he gave up, and rolled himself over so that he was facing the sleeping figure of Dwayne, just across the room. And there that feeling was again, deep in his stomach. With this realization, Frank shot upright, and needed to get up and just be out of the room.

Finding no relief in the bathroom, where only the shaving razor awaited him, Frank took to pacing the floor along the hallway from the front door to the table.

How had this happened? Frank realized he knew this feeling; it was what got him into this mess. He loved, or at the very least, lusted after his nephew, who wasn't even 18 yet.

"Fuck" Frank quietly said to himself and leaned into the wall, trying not to cry or something worse.

There was someone behind him, silent as the night itself. Frank turned and saw none other then Dwayne facing him. He stood a good six inches higher then his uncle, black hair messed from sleep. Frank's stomach tied itself in knots. Dwayne looked his uncle over with a concern in his eyes. Frank didn't know what to do. Dwayne reached out his hand and took his uncle by the arm, and led Frank back to his room and directed him towards the cot once again.

Little sparks were tingling Frank's skin under his nephew's grip. "Sorry Dwayne" Frank said as he sat back down on his cot.

Dwayne went to his bed and grabbed his notebook and marker. The light was already on. Dwayne scribbled something quick, and presented it to his uncle. '?'

What should he say... if anything at all? Panic tattooed a pretty pattern on the inside of Frank's chest.

"I just couldn't sleep" Frank said as he bowed his head in sorrow. Dwayne scribbled something more on the little pad, and Frank looked up. "I can stay up with you, if you want'

Frank didn't think that was the best thing. "No, Dwayne, go back to sleep. I appreciate the thought though... it's just that the darkness makes the sadness come"

Dwayne seemed to understand, and reached over to the shelf above his bed and turned his radio on quietly, and looked back to his uncle.

'Thanks Dwayne" Frank said, giving a half-smile. Dwayne nodded and returned to lying down on his bed, he replaced the notepad and pen on his nightstand, and once again turned off the light, then settled under his covers.

Frank did the same, trying to settle on his stupid little cot. When he found a spot that suited him, he listened to the music, preventing the thoughts from taking wings and flying into his mind.

Frank sighed with relief and before he knew it, he was sleeping. Frank didn't know how long he slept, but when he heard someone talking... he felt that it wasn't near enough. He opened his eyes slowly and saw Dwayne standing at the door with nothing but a towel on standing at the doorway, and he was talking with his mother, who wanted to see how Frank was doing, but Dwayne insisted to her that he was fine... Frank thought this was a curious thing... to deny his sister access to see him. Frank shifted himself, and noticed the tent between his legs. Groaning, he turned over so his back was to the door and tried to fix his morning stiffness.

Dwayne closed the door and went to his bed where his clothes were waiting for him.

Once again finding no relief, Frank looked around and reached for the towels that had been placed by his head sometime during the morning and placed them over his waist, and got off of his cot, holding the towels as if his life depended on it. He gave a small, awkward nod to Dwayne... and exited out of the room, and rushed into the bathroom. Frank turned the water on and got in and enjoyed the first rush of the water on his back. He turned and pleasure came over him as the water hit his penis, ad Frank stroked himself; wanting his erection to go away and also wanted to enjoy it at the same time. He thought about attractive people to try and finish the job off. People danced through his head... and no one really helped. Frank though about everyone he could before Dwayne, he didn't want to masturbate to the thought of his nephew. He couldn't put it off any longer... and Dwayne, covered only by a towel stood there at the door looking at him seductively. Frank had to bite his tongue when he came to prevent himself from calling out Dwayne's name. Frank sighed and spit out a mouthful of blood and washed himself, finally ready to face the day.

Things went quickly as everyone loaded into the van. Olive was bubbling over with excitement. Things just couldn't go fast enough. This wore off though when she discovered that it was going to be a long time before they arrived at the hotel in California. She put her headphones on and was completely oblivious to the world around her. Frank wished he had another place to escape the boredom and the thoughts that accompanied it. He was starting to get a little drowsy... and then Grandpa Edwin piped up about how tired he was. Foul-mouthed to the end and telling Dwayne to 'fuck a lot of women' Frank turned around to see Dwayne's reaction to the questions. He looked kind of sad... but then, that was Dwayne.

Frank hadn't remembered how old Dwayne was, and when Edwin had said it... it shook Frank. He was ONLY 15. Frank was ashamed of himself. Everything was tense and silent afterwards, and Frank was left to the thoughts in his head. He thought about Dwayne. And suicide, and the curiosity that was Edwin, the heroin grandpa.

Frank saw a little highway restaurant and wished they could stop... they hadn't had time for breakfast and he was getting a little hungry. Miraculously, Richard turned the van into the parking lot... and everyone seemed to perk up.

They walked in and waited to be seated... Dwayne and Olive went in first... and Frank HAD to sit by Dwayne... just because, so he got in on Dwayne's right. Frank looked through the menu and decided he was only a little hungry. He got the fruit plate and some chamomile. He still wasn't sure about his stomach and non-hospital food, so he kept it light. Dwayne ordered a garden salad, and Frank wondered if he was vegetarian... but then remembered that he consumed chicken at supper last night... maybe he wasn't feeling so good either..? Concern bubbled up to the surface and was then left there. Frank didn't voice these opinions... and when Olive ordered her food, 'a la mode' caused a whole chain of information to come into his head... which he started rambling off until Richard shut him down, and proceeded to manipulate Olive into not wanting her morning ice cream.

'_Way to ruin breakfast Richard' _Frank so wanted to say. And when the ice cream arrived it nearly broke his heart when Olive offered it to everyone else.

Edwin piped up and everyone joined in... They all had a bit of Olive's ice cream and told her how good it was... until finally she decided that her father was to be ignored, and dug in to her ice cream... Frank smiled when Dwayne shot a straw wrapper at Richard's forehead. The rest of breakfast was uneventful, and it was back to the van to continue this journey.

Sheryl offered to try and learn how to drive the VW bus. Richard agreed and after 10 minutes of her trying... he hopped back into the driver's seat to show her how it was done, only to discover that it actually was broken. Richard went back into the diner to try and find a mechanic. They all waited around for the tow truck.

The situation wasn't going well... but Frank didn't say anything... it would just make matters worse. He listened while the mechanic told them about the clutch and how the van didn't really need the clutch to start out.

Frank knew what was coming... they were going to have to push this thing to get it going.

Richard assigned everyone to a place on the van by order of how they would need to get in. Him, Edwin, Olive, Sheryl, Frank and lastly Dwayne. The mechanic helped out as well. The situation amused Frank, and he said "I just want everyone here to know that I and the pre-emanate Proust scholar in the United States.

Sheryl laughed and then she was gone... and suddenly it was his turn to run... he was loosing speed... Richard was going too fast... He was concentrating on the door when he felt a small push his back... electricity shout though him. Frank was going faster... and suddenly he was in. He scooted to the back seat and all the way to far side... and watched as Dwayne was running beside the van with his long legs. A small moment of frustration appeared across Dwayne's face before he was able to get on... he slammed the door shut and shuffled into the back seat where Frank was. Frank was full of adrenaline and elation.

"No one gets left behind! No one gets left behind!" he turned to Dwayne, who was smiling. The ghost of his handprint tingled on Frank's back. "Outstanding Soldier!" Frank said to Dwayne, saluting him. Dwayne smiled further. Frank needs a moment to catch his breath. "Outstanding"

After a while, they switch back to their original places. Everyone seemed to be happy, and spreading the excitement from having to jump into the van. It was good. Edwin plays with Olive by catching popcorn on his tongue... Dwayne doesn't talk much... and Frank tries to sleep, having no other way to pass the time.

Richard, probably uncomfortable with the silence, starts talking about his 9 Steps program. No one is really listening. Frank's mind has left him... it's on vacation, but he still is responding… probably making everyone asks why he kept on. Frank's answers were becoming more and more sarcastic. And finally Richard had enough. And started to attack Frank... which Frank just took and turned into sarcasm. Another amusing moment and the happiness was gone, tension had returned. Richard's cell rang then... it was apparently Stan Grossman, the guy who was pushing the 9 steps to the top. Frank couldn't help but smile when the phone lost reception.

Richard swore and pulled into the next gas station he saw. He leaped out and headed for the first phone he saw. Everyone else waited in the van.

Frank looked around, there really wasn't anything there... just a gas station... and a service place behind it. Dwayne got out and went to a green patch just off the parking lot and started to do some push-ups. Frank watched him, and counted how many Dwayne did.

It surprised Frank just how strong Dwayne was. He was 50 and still going strong. Sheryl excused herself to go to the bathroom... and Olive went to practice her routine. Frank continued watching Dwayne until it was going to be a problem for him. He shuffled out of the van. "I'm going to get something to drink. Want anything? He said to Edwin, who was watching Olive, ready to shout out advice to her.

"Yeah, get me some porn"

Frank chuckled.

"Get me something really nasty too, none of that air-brushed shit. Here's a 20, get yourself and treat too, get yourself a fag rag"

Frank laughed again... "Alright, I will" and got out of the van and walked to the store where he stood at the counter and looked at all the porn on display. He tried to determine what was air-brushed as what wasn't. He picked out three, two for Edwin, and one for himself. The clerk gave him a funny look when he chose his magazine. Frank shrugged and ordered a blue raspberry slush.

"Frank/"

Frank turned around and there was Josh, his ex lover... and one of the reasons he had those scars on his wrists. Frank's mood fell rapidly. And he put his arms behind his back because he just didn't want to explain it to Josh.

"My god. How are you? I thought you were going to be in Santa Fe for the conference. I was looking for you"

"A-aren't you supposed to be in New haven?" was the only thing Frank could say.. How could Josh be so happy? That pained Frank.

"Yeah, well you heard about Larry and the whole genius thing right? Well, It's 'official'" Josh's words stung him. He was WITH Larry... and they were going to celebrate. "We're going to a spa in Sedona for a week. And uh..."

"Larry's here?"

"Uh yeah, he's out filling the tank"

Frank looked out the window and found that Josh's words were true. Larry was there... Frank's heart almost stopped beating, and his head hurt.

"Yeah, there he is"

"Wow" Josh chuckled out. "I can't believe this. How have you been?"

"I've been, fine" Frank forced a smile.

"Good. Good. You know, I heard..."

Frank's smile fell... Josh had heard what... that he tried to kill himself? What?

"That you got fired"

Small relief passed through him. "Yeah, no, I quit. Because enough is enough, you know?"

"Right. Good, good. So what are you up to now?"

"Uhm, I weighing my options and um, just you know, taking some time off... so"

"Great" Josh said as he flashed Frank a smile. "That's great"

"Nineteen seventy nine sir" the clerk said to Frank, and Josh became curious about what Frank was purchasing. He tried to block Josh's view... but couldn't. Josh saw the magazine for Edwin with the girl in the red lingerie. A curious look crossed Josh's face.

"Well, it was great to see you"

"Yeah you too" Frank once again forced out, and gave an awkward smile to Josh, who was backing away.

"Take care of you" Josh said with his hand on the door.

"You too" Frank mustered before Josh turn and ran back to Larry. Frank paid for the magazines and slushes... and turned and looked out the window just when Josh was getting into Larry's convertible. Larry suddenly turned and peered into the store. Frank ducked down, hoping not to be seen and that the earth would just swallow him into the ground. He heard the car start, and looked up again. Frank looked around and noticed that there were disposable razors on the shelf, facing away from the cashier. Frank want over and picked two sets, and held one up to the cashier, and tucked the other up his sleeve.

"Two ninety-nine' Frank nodded and replaced the one and headed out to the van. The clerk called him back for his forgotten slush. Frank took and left, bee lined for the van. He slipped the razor into his pocket before he got there and threw the magazines at Edwin... and found that Dwayne was also in the van. Frank pinched the bridge of his nose as the scene repeated to him. Why was Josh even there... and of all places. Damn. Frank just wanted to break down and cry... instead pinched himself harder, focusing on the pain and at the moment, not caring about anyone else. He had to wait. They would have to stop sometime... and then he would dismantle it and try again. It was too soon to see Josh... It was too soon to be able to deal.

He heard Sheryl and Richard fighting and looked up.

They got into the van and drove away... everyone lost in their own world.

Frank was staring out the window at the now boring landscape when a touch on his shoulder got him to focus on the writing pad now in front of him.

"Where's Olive?" Frank read aloud, and turned to the empty spot beside him, as did everyone else. Richard swore and turned the van around and the next available opportunity, then looped around again behind after the gas station and informed everyone that he was not stopping. Frank swung the door opened and saw Olive running... he reached out his hands and the second they touched, he pulled, and was successful. "Got her!" he yelled out. She wasn't even mad... she just turned on her Discman and lost herself to the music. Frank resumed watching the world fly by truly having nothing else to do. All he could think about was the razor in his pocket. The world was soon basked in the glow of twilight. It was pretty... but his eyes were burning, and secretly hoped that Richard's were as well. It had been a long day, but they still had so much further to go.

Frank sighed with relief when there was finally a vacancy in the motels along the road... and Richard turned in and parked... well practically abandoned the van over three parking spaces. Sheryl went in and registered them for the night.

Edwin gave Frank his magazine, tastefully... still in the black bag. They all proceeded up the steps to their rooms. Edwin and Olive, Richard and Sheryl and him and Dwayne. Frank wasn't going to object this arrangement.

He put his bag and magazine on one of the beds and rummaged through one to find his bathroom stuff. Dwayne went into the bathroom first. Frank didn't care, he could wait. He could feel the disposable razor in his pocket, it was calling to him.

He heard the toilet flush, and then water running in the sink. Dwayne exited out of the bathroom and went to lay on the bed to the right. Frank went to the bathroom... and within a moment of his entering, Richard and Sheryl started quarreling. Frank looked out at Dwayne.

"Hey, don't listen to that... Let's turn on the tube." Frank tossed the remote to Dwayne, nearly hitting him in the head, and went back into the bathroom. 'I'm going to brush my teeth' he said quietly. He heard the TV click off... but there was nothing he could do. He closed the door, as if he were going to the bathroom. He was allowed that luxury. Frank turned the water on and let it run until it was hot, and put the plug in the sink. He pulled apart the disposable razor so that all he was holding was the thin piece of metal. He threw the rest of the razor away, and turned off the water. Then he plunged his wrists in, and gasped at the heat, but did not remove his hands from the water. The heat was searing his hands... too bad it wasn't hot enough to boil him.

Frank stared at himself in the mirror for what felt like a long time. He was going to do it, and he was going to succeed this time. And what better place then a little motel bathroom?

Frank couldn't hear anything outside the bathroom. He was devoted to the task at hand. He took his fists out of the water and picked up the thin, almost insignificant little piece of metal. He pinched it between his fingers, and held it to his wrist. His skin was very red because of the hot water. He started to press down when there was a knock at the door, which caused him to jump and pull away from his wrist, making the smallest of cuts. But a fairly deep one due to the soaking, and so a big, dark bead of blood started to form.

"Shit" Frank exclaimed quietly and grabbed some toilet paper and bunched it on top of the little cut. And before he knew what was happening, there was Dwayne standing before him, only in pants, completely ready for bed. Dwayne looked over the situation, and knelt down in front of Frank, and took a hold of the toilet paper and pulled it away, revealing what Frank had done. It had already slowed down. Dwayne touched the toilet paper to Frank's wrist again, and pulled it away, then completely without warning leaned forward and kissed his uncle full on the lips. Frank was taken aback, but did not protest. Dwayne pulled away, and stood up. He took a hold of Frank's wrist; just like the night he had found his uncle wandering the hallway because he couldn't sleep, and pulled him up then led Frank out of the bathroom. Dwayne pulled Frank into another kiss when they reached a bed. Frank freed his wrist from Dwayne's hold and snaked his arms around Dwayne's waist, pulling him in close, deepening the kiss. His skin was tingling at the contact.

Frank felt Dwayne's fingers under his shirts and something dark ignited inside him. Frank forgot that Dwayne was only 15 AND his nephew to boot. Right now he was a lover. Frank kissed him harder, and reveled in the knowledge that Dwayne was responding to him, very quickly.

Frank unhooked himself from Dwayne and took a step back to pull his shirts off. He barely had time to toss his shirts to the floor before Dwayne had captured his lips again. Franks felt Dwayne's hands try to touch him everywhere all at once, and altogether inexperienced. A big red flag erected itself in Frank's mind. Frank broke the kiss and captured Dwayne's hands. Frank could see the confusion is Dwayne's eyes.

"Dwayne... is this your first… are you a virgin?"

Dwayne hung his head, which Frank took to be a yes.

"Dwayne, no... It's not a bad thing I just wanted to make sure that this is what you want"

Dwayne pulled out from Frank's grasp, leaned in and kissed Frank, and lay down on the bed closest to them, pulling Frank with him.

Frank did not argue. That red flag went away and that dark force returned. He kissed Dwayne and ran his fingers over his chest. Dwayne was all but writhing under his touch. It felt so good to be the one to do this to another person. Frank pulled away again only to lean in and whisper something into Dwayne's ear.

"I'll bet that I can make you scream"

Frank knew that he didn't have to do much to make his young nephew cream his pants, so he stuck with something reliable and simple. He kissed and sucked a trail down to the elastic of the pants Dwayne was wearing, and could feel Dwayne's full erection under those pants. Frank smiled to himself, entirely happy that he was going to be the one to give this to Dwayne for his first time.

All of a sudden, all he could hear were the sounds coming from the other two rooms. He could almost hear the words between Edwin and Olive, and the door the right open and shut and quick footsteps go past in the hall, and then the van, but he didn't care about that. He cared about taking his nephew in the middle of all this, and suddenly he couldn't, not in a place where everyone could hear, should Dwayne make a noise any bigger then a sigh.

Frank pulled away, and it nearly broke his heart to see look on Dwayne's face.

"Dwayne, not here, not in this little room with Sheryl and Richard on one side, and Edwin and Olive on the other. If they heard, I'd probably get thrown in jail, and then _this_ could never happen"

Sad understanding crossed Dwayne's face. He rolled over and went to the bathroom and closed the door. Frank could hear what he was doing, and you have no idea how much he wanted to just go in there and... help.

Frank pulled his shirts back on and pulled a picture of himself and Josh at a dinner that was crowning his achievement. He looked at it for a moment, wondering where it all went wrong, but then resigned to put the picture back into his wallet. He reached to turn off the light and rolled onto the uncomfortable motel bed. A few minutes later, Dwayne stepped out into the darkness, the light from the bathroom illuminating the small room for a moment. Frank could hear Dwayne's footsteps come around the bed. Frank assumed he was going to lie down in the other bed, but was more then pleasantly surprised that Dwayne came to his bed, and placed his arm around him, keeping him safe, it felt like to Frank.

Together they slept until the sounds of the ambulance woke Frank. Automatically he stiffened, which woke Dwayne, he thought that somehow they knew he was intending to die last night and where coming to get him. Or it was the cops and they knew about what almost happened between himself and Dwayne last night. Either way, it made him get up and away from Dwayne.

"There is no way the world is ready for this, what we have." Frank said quietly to his nephew. He knew Dwayne would understand. Not thirty second later, there was a knock on the door. It was Sheryl. Edwin had overdosed on heroin and had passed out. All of a sudden they were heading back to a hospital.

As they sat in the waiting room, Frank believed he was getting looks from the nurses and doctors floating around. They all knew what the bandages meant. Frank resorted to sitting with his hands behind his back. Olive tried to lighten the mood by giving them an eye test, but no one was interested. Sheryl felt like now was the time to tell her kids that if god wanted Grandpa back, there was nothing that could be done, and that he loved them.

A doctor finally came in to tell them that Edwin had passed. And after that a bereavement liaison was assigned to them. Frank watched as Richard talked with the woman. All of a sudden she was shouting 'you are not the only one who has had someone die here today, okay?' Then Richard asked to see the remains and they all went to see Edwin.

Richard was mad and sad all at the same time. It broke Frank's heart to hear Sheryl lean down to Olive and tell her that they would go to Little Miss Sunshine next year. They all just stood there, sad and upset when all of a sudden the whole mood changed when Richard uttered no.

Everyone looked at him and he went on to explain; 'No. We've come seven-hundred miles, I will be damned if I'm not making that contest Sheryl.'

"Richard, we can't just leave him here'

Richard responded by throwing the forms Linda gave him away and saying 'We're not going to leave him'

Richard then looked out the curtain, swore, and then agitatedly went to the windows to see if they opened. Sheryl tried to confront him, but it was clear he was going to have no part of it. Richard was going to the contest, come hell or high water and once he had it in his mind there was nothing anyone could do but go along with it.

"Dwayne you go around outside"

"Richard, what are you thinking?!"

"We're going to take him with us"

"This is not happening!"

"He's better off with then these people. I want you to go around outside, underneath this window"

"Dwayne, don't you dare move. Honey you stay here we'll take Olive. Frank can drive."

"No Sheryl, look, we'll be there in two hours. I'll call, listen to me! I'll call a funeral home once we get there. If there is one this my father would have wanted is to see Olive perform in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. I believe we will be doing a great disservice to his memory if we just gave up now! Alright? There are two kinds of people in this world: There are winners, and there are losers, okay, and you know what the difference is? Winners don't give up. So what are we here? Are we winners, or are we losers? Huh?"

And there it was, Sheryl was caught up in this insanity, and he and Dwayne were heading out into the hall behind the curtain. They walked right past Linda who was on the phone and was stopped by a door that wouldn't open. Frank then saw a button and figured it was the one to either open the door, or sound an alarm... because this _must_ happen all the time. Before he could get into that, he pushed the button and hallelujah the door opened and no alarms sounded.

They found the open window and waited. It was only a few seconds before he could see Sheryl and Richard lifting the body, and then there were ambulance workers Frank hadn't noticed before/

"Wait! Wait!" He called up the pair holding the body. Then it was okay. There was a pause on the other end, and then it was happening, Edwin was coming out the window.

Dwayne was reaching around him, but Edwin still fell. They ran though the parking lot to their bright yellow van and struggled for a moment with the trunk. Richard ran up behind them and Dwayne threw him the keys. Richard stared the moving of the van and everything was a go. The van was moving and everyone was in, and the road called. And there it was, they had stolen a dead body from a hospital and were on their way to a beauty pageant.

Not ten minutes driving and Olive raised the question of what was going to happen to Edwin. Richard couldn't respond. It was then Frank's turn to ask a question. "Uncle Frank, do you believe there is a heaven?"

All the science behind him wanted to shout, no... But there was a little glimmer of hope deep inside him.

"Well, it's hard to say Olive; I don't think anyone knows for sure."

"I know, but what do _you_ think?"

"Uhm, well…"

"I think there is one"

"Think I'll get in?"

"Yes"

"Promise?"

"Yes"

Frank then felt Dwayne's hand on his shoulder for just a second.

Suddenly, silver SUV cut them off, and Richard honked the horn. This was all the van needed to betray them by not shutting up now.

A motorcycle cop decided to pull them over. Panic ran through like wildfire. Richard had no choice but to pull over.

"Everyone, just pretend to be normal okay, like everything is normal"

They stopped and the horn still told its story. It knew they stole a body and was trying to get away with it, and it wanted no part in it. Not really, but it's the only reason Frank could come up with why now the horn decided to break.

The cop got off his bike and strode over to the driver's window and Richard rolled down his window.

"How you folks doing?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're fine... just"

"Little trouble with the horn?"

"Yeah, sorry"

"Step outside the vehicle"

"Come this way"

"No"

Frank pinched his nose… of all the things to say to a cop.

"What?"

"No"

The cop then looked into the backseat and trunk

"No, what?" The cop asked again, looking once more into the backseat/trunk area and taking a few steps towards the trunk.

"Got something in your trunk sir?"

"It's nothing... I… don't"

But the cop was already moving.

"Don't open it"

"Sir, do you realizes you just gave me probable cause to search your trunk?"

And now you could tell that Richard was freaking out.

"Officer, I just, I" Richard said and took a few steps towards the officer.

"Put your hands on the vehicle, NOW!"

Richard was right level with Dwayne, who just closed his eyes in defeat.

Richard then drove it home by saying "It's not illegal!"

"Sir, I would advise you to keep your mouth shut!" and came around the trunk and opened it. He flew it open and Frank knew that they were all going to jail… well… not Dwayne and Olive, they were too young, but definitely Sheryl, Richard and himself.

No one could look behind them.

"Sir, could you come back here?"

Richard walked slowly to the back.

Frank couldn't hear what they were saying over the pounding of his heart, and the stupid horn.

Richard walked back around and Frank dared to look out the window to see Richard glaring back at him. Richard then got in and closed the door, which magically stopped the horn. "Frank, Dwayne, get out and push"

As they did, the horn started again.

They were driving along, happy as ever, Sheryl giving Richard directions, and Olive finally got to give Dwayne an eye test. Dwayne got all the directional questions right, and then it was time for the colorblind test.

Olive held up a pamphlet with a big red circle with a big green 'A' in the middle of it. "What's the letter in the circle?"

"Nononono…. _inside_ the circle… right there… see?"

Frank looked back to see Dwayne shaking his head back and forth, saying that 'no, he could not see the letter inside the circle.'

"Can't you see it? Its right there" Olive pressed as she pointed right at the letter. Dwayne reached over and grabbed the pamphlet to study it closer.

"It's bright green" Frank said, trying to help his nephew.

Dwayne just shook his head.

Frank looked away and muttered under his breath. "Oh man" He knew this was no good. He felt Dwayne's touch on his should and turned to see that Dwayne had written 'what' on his paper pad.

"Dwayne... I think you might be color-blind" Frank hated himself for saying 'might be' he knew it, straight up. But saying 'might be' gave some small chance that maybe Dwayne wasn't. Not understanding entirely, Dwayne shook the pad, asking again, 'what?'

Now Frank had to tell his nephew, friend and almost new lover news that may well just break him.

"You can't fly jets if you're color-blind" Frank said with his heavy heart. And Frank saw it, Dwayne heart breaking. And then he saw the storm that was a lot of hard work for nothing. Dwayne was shaking mad, and needed to get out the van, right now. He started to ram the side of the van.

"Uhm, we have a bit of a problem back here. STOP! Alright, we have an emergency back here… JUST PULL OVER THE CAR!! JUST PULL OVER MAN!!"

Frank was yelling at the pair in front to stop, they had no idea. Frank looked back at Dwayne to see him moving towards to door. Frank knew that Dwayne was just going to jump out, moving van or not. Frank grabbed his arm, and could feel the panic in Dwayne. The van had hardly stopped before Dwayne broke free and jumped out of the van. Dwayne ran down the hill and screamed and the not of his ill-used voice.

"FUCK!" and fell to the ground. Frank had to stop himself from running over and wrapping Dwayne in a crushing hug, telling him that everything would be okay... that Dwayne would find a way to fly… but he couldn't, not in front of Sheryl, Richard and Olive.

Sheryl asked what happened.

"He's color-blind, he can't fly"

They watched as Dwayne sobbed into the ground. Frank watched as Sheryl went to her son to comfort him, but Dwayne like Richard in this one way, would have no of it. He begged to be left behind, pleaded that he hated them all. Frank could hear the last of the rant.

"I hate you fucking people! Divorce! Bankruptcy! SUICIDE! You're fucking losers! You're losers!"

Frank wasn't hurt by Dwayne words; he was an angry 15 year old boy. Frank watched as Dwayne was talking just one-on-one now with Sheryl. Then Dwayne sat down and Sheryl came back the people standing on the hill.

"I don't know what to do" Sheryl said with tears.

Then Richard, the ever achiever, "Well, it's getting late... maybe someone could stay with him..."

Besides wanting to strangle Richard, Frank volunteered himself to stay with the upset teen.

"That IS NOT happening!" Sheryl barked. And Richard once again looked at his watch.

"Alright… uh... Olive? You want to try talking to him?"

"Richard!" Sheryl chastised. "There is nothing to say, we just have to wait" But Olive was already working her way down the hill towards her brother.

Frank watched, waited for another storm. Olive reached her brother and simply put her arm around her brother. Frank had no idea if words were passed between them, but whatever Olive did, it worked. A part of him was sad; it would have been a good chance to be alone with Dwayne.

Dwayne approached them and was somber "I apologize for what I said. I was upset, and I didn't really mean them" Frank knew this was only for him. He could feel it in his heart.

Dwayne lay in the backseat still, understandably, upset with the cards the world dealt him. Richard asked for help in finding the exit. They were so close.

They found the hotel. And then they passed the hotel. They were on a ramp, and couldn't do anything about it. There were parking lots on the right, and they crashed through a parking gate and did a circle around the U-turn area. Craziness had taken over Richard again and they went right through that little chain and then they drove on the sidewalk. Everyone was screaming. It was chaos. Finally Richard stopped the van, as it stopped the door broke off and Frank was off running towards the hotel. He was running for Olive, and Edwin. They had come so far to be in this pageant. He got to the little table they had set up and was saying words before he was thinking, not understanding that the lady was saying no, it was too late.

Sheryl, Olive and Richard rushed in and Frank stepped off. Which was good because Richard stepped up. If there was anyone more annoying then Richard, it was this woman in the purple dress and big hair. She wouldn't let them enter, saying it was an unfair advantage. Richard finally just got down on his knees and began to beg. And then it was like the voice of God...

"Uh, Mrs... Jenkins, I can put them in the system"

"Oh Kirby, you don't have to"

"No, no, it's okay. What's five minutes?"

Clearly annoyed, but admitting defeat, the woman said "Well, fine. It's your time. Excuse me" and stalked off.

Frank thanked Kirby. Everything was a go. Frank then saw Dwayne walking though the crowd, and went to him because he looked lost and confused and the world around him. Frank put his hand on Dwayne shoulder, and that seemed to ground Dwayne.

Dwayne then turned away and led them into the hall, away from the hysterics that had taken over the whole floor. They found a pair of chairs and sat. Dwayne slumped, and Frank picked up a paper that was laying around. He flipped through, and of course came across a full-size page that claimed Larry Sugarman as the number 1 Proust Scholar, and advertised his book. Frank folded the paper and then tossed it on the table between himself and Dwayne, all of a sudden he wanted to be away, but before he got a chance to get up, two girls ran buy on very frilly dresses, and Dwayne watched their progress down the hall.

"Let's get out of here" Dwayne said to Frank, and Frank paused, wondering where this was going to lead.

Dwayne led them away from the hall of beauty divas, and closer to the real world with every step.

Frank had no idea where Dwayne thought he was going. When Dwayne looked back for a second, he saw a spark in Dwayne, and all of a sudden, it didn't matter where they went. Frank paused, and Dwayne fully turned to see was what going on. Frank smiled reached out for his hand. Dwayne let his hand be held, and then led them out of the hotel itself. Frank looked around and saw a dock a few blocks away, but far enough away that there was no one around.

They were silent until they reached the docks. Frank turned right around to Dwayne and said "I'm glad you decided to stick around"

Dwayne smiled and responded with "Likewise"

"Touché" Frank said before leaning in for a kiss. Everything felt like it was going to be okay. Everything was good. Frank took this feeling and deepened the kiss. He could feel the beginning of an erection from Dwayne and smiled to himself, think that it really didn't take much for Dwayne to get excited. Despite all this, Frank knew he had to stop this, right now it was a far to public a place to be sexing it up.

Dwayne groaned as he felt Frank pull away from him.

"Dwayne, I know you want this to happen, but it can't happen here. I promise you, it will happen." Dwayne leaned in for a chaste kiss, and then went the rest of the way to lean on the fence of the dock. Frank sighed and followed suit.

"Sometimes I wish I could just sleep until I was eighteen and skip all this crap-high school and everything-just skip it."

"Do you know who Marcel Proust is?"

"He's the guy you teach"

A small shiver of joy coursed through Frank.

"Yeah. French writer. Total loser. Never had a real job. Unrequited love affairs. Gay. Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads. But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare. Anyway, he uh... he gets down to the end of his life, and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered, Those were the best years of his life, 'cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep until you're 18... Ah, think of the suffering you're going to miss. I mean high school? High school-those are your prime suffering years. You don't get better suffering than that."

"You know what? Fuck beauty contests! Life is one fucking beauty contest after another. School, then college, then work? Fuck that. And fuck the air-force academy. If I want to fly, I'll find a way to fly. Do what you love and fuck the rest."

"I'm glad you're talking again Dwayne. You're not nearly as stupid as you look"

Dwayne smiled and it lit up Frank's whole world. They laughed together.

"Want to go back?" Frank asked Dwayne, already knowing the answer.

"Not really"

Frank knew how he felt.

"Yeah, we should." Dwayne changed his mind. And with that they headed back to the hotel.

They walked in silence, Frank a step behind Dwayne when Dwayne misstepped so that they were walking side by side and took Frank's hand. When they reached the hotel, they both let go. They found the auditorium that the Little Miss Sunshine competition was being held and slipped in. It was entirely different world in there, make-up, the lingering of hairspray, ridiculous dresses… and in a word: _perfection. _ It was wrong, and it was too much, and so they slipped back out under the minute.

"I'm going backstage" Dwayne said.

"Yeah… see ya" Frank said, practically in a daze.

Frank then had a moment to think about how long it took to get there, all the events that brought them to this place. It was a journey indeed.

Frank found himself a place to sit, on what appeared to be a stage... with a frilly pink thing around it. With the same paper, hotel generic, that he was skimming before his trip to the docks with Dwayne, with the same stupid Larry Sugarman ad. When he saw the ad however, Frank didn't feel a thing. It was over. Things unfolded the way they did for a reason, be it planned or not.

All he knew now though, was that he didn't want Olive to go through this judgment. There was no way she would even come close to winning, Olive wasn't the prettiest, or most talented, but she was smart, which didn't get you far in a place like this.

All of a sudden Sheryl, Richard and Dwayne rushed past. Frank bolted out of his chair He ran up behind Dwayne and tossed the paper away.

"Is she going up?"

"Yeah, she's going up" Dwayne said. There was nothing anyone could do, this was happening.

Frank followed Dwayne into the auditorium and Sheryl was taken aback for a moment, Dwayne and Frank went past her, and Richard got her moving again. Richard pointed out the seats and they all sat and waited the judgment.

"Please give a warm welcome to Miss…. Olive Hoover!" The host announced.

Frank had never seen her routine, and he suspects no one else had, save Edwin who wasn't here.

Olive dedicated the performance to her Grandpa, and then it started. 'Superfreak' by Rick James blasted from the sounds system, and Frank knew where this dance was coming from... right from Edwin Hoover's sick old mind.

A few people right behind them got up and left, and a few more from a row further up. Outrage sparked in front of Frank's eyes. Someone yelled "You suck! Get off the stage!"

And Frank said quietly, those little fuckers! I'll kill them." And stood up as well, not to leave, but to clap, and show his support for Olive. The lady in purple looked distressed and it amused Frank. She got up as Richard did, Richard to clap with Frank, the lady in purple to storm over and demand that Olive be taken off the stage. Sheryl got up too.

"What is your daughter doing?" hissed the lady in purple.

"She's kicking ass. That's what she's doing" Richard said triumphantly. And Frank couldn't help but smile. Now Dwayne had joined them.

The lady in purple pursed her perfectly done lips and stormed off again. She went to the side of the stage and called the host over. None of the four standing could hear what she said to him, but they all knew it was to get Olive off the stage.

Frank could almost feel the anger in Richard when he said "No, don't touch her!"

The host chased Olive around the stage and Richard shouted 'HEY!' before running up to the stage. Everyone followed. The host let out a girly scream as Richard jumped him and pulled him off the stage. Frank and Dwayne split up and went to either side of the stage. Richard called back to Olive "It's alright honey, Daddy's okay"

Everyone could hear the woman in purple yell "GET YOUR DAUGHTER OFF THIS STAGE NOW!"

Richard looked defeated as he walked up there. Instead of removing Olive, he started to dance behind her. And the woman in purple looked very distressed, so Frank joined Richard and Olive on the stage, just to egg her on. Dwayne followed quickly after. Sheryl was left watching the antics of her family, a huge smile on her face.

Then she ran up and joined the four on stage and grabbed Olive. They all joined hands and danced in a circle, Dwayne in the middle.

Frank could see the stress on the lady in purple, and the confusion of the 'guards' and some other people getting up and leaving, and the shocked looks of the rest of the crowd; but he just didn't care.

The song ended and in high spirits, they stood there. Kirby started the applause, and a few others joined. And then the tattooed man sitting beside Dwayne stood up and exclaimed "YEAH! ALL RIGHT!!" with his arms up and showing the 'bull' sign on his hands.

Then they were all ushered into a hallway, different from the main one, it was bare, the carpet faded and lots of turns before they finally reached the office room in which they were being led, labeled 'Hotel Security'

The lady in purple was livid. She ranted the main Officer's off. And then he finally came out ad told them "You're out. On the condition that you never enter your daughter in a beauty pageant in the state of California again."

Frank spoke for the group. "I think we can live with that"

The exited out the twisty hallway and back into the foyer of the hotel and walked away from the weirdness that was the world of beauty pageants.

They got to the van... the van that held so many moments of their lives, and somehow brought them closer together. Richard fixed the door and they opened the trunk to load it up.

The sheet that Edwin had been wrapped in was sitting there. They had a moment for him before Richard reached in and rolled it up. "Olive, your Grandpa would have been rally proud of you today."

"Yeah, you were great" Sheryl said as she leaned down to give her daughter a hug.

"You were beyond great" Frank added.

"You were incredible" Dwayne added as well. Olive's face lit up as she thanked all of them.

Richard then closed the trunk. "Let's get out of here."

Everyone heartily agreed as the got into their positions to start to push the van. The van started to roll, and Richard was in. Then Olive. Sheryl went next with a whoop of excitement. Then it was Frank's turn. And finally Dwayne's turn. As Dwayne got in, they had no choice to but to crash through the tiny little barrier obstructing them from the road. As they went through it, the horn started up again and Frank smiled. They turned back to see the lady in purple, ticket frozen in her hand and a look of horror on her face. That was just the cherry on top of everything.

The ride home was slow, they weren't on a deadline. They got pulled over a couple more times because of the horn, but there was nothing anyone could do, as the mechanic said a long time ago it felt like, all the dealerships were closed on the weekend, and even then it would take weeks to get it fixed if it were a part that needed to be ordered in.

When they got to the mismatched place they called home, Richard gave Frank Edwin's room for the time he was staying with his family. Frank appreciated being treated like a person again. He shared a quick look with Dwayne before he headed down the hall into his new bedroom. He did have his own place, but until the hospital deemed him 'safe and stable' again he would be staying here. He didn't think was going to be a problem. Not when he had Dwayne around.


End file.
